Australia’s new-car market recorded another dip in April 2025, with sales totalling 91,316 units—down 6.1 per cent on April 2024. Despite the drop, it remains the third-best April on record, surpassing pre-pandemic norms.
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Data released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries from VFACTS, combined with additional figures from the Electric Vehicle Council, show 90,614 vehicles delivered last month, plus 702 Tesla and Polestar units, respectively
The ongoing slowdown follows a brief rebound in March, contributing to an overall year-to-date decline of 3.6 per cent. Looking at the month-on-month figures, new-car sales dropped by more than 16 per cent. At the current pace, full-year deliveries are projected to reach approximately 1.19 million units by the end of 2025.
Toyota HiLux outsold the Ford Ranger
Even though SUVs dominate the overall market share for new cars in Australia, the utes are still topping the sales charts.
| Model | April 2025 | April 2024 | Difference |
| Toyota HiLux | 4121 | 4693 | down 12.2% |
| Ford Ranger | 4031 | 5569 | down 27.6% |
| Toyota RAV4 | 3808 | 5857 | down 35% |
| Ford Everest | 2234 | 2400 | down 6.9% |
| Toyota Prado | 2233 | — | up 1198% |
| Isuzu D-Max | 2107 | 2380 | down 11.5% |
| Kia Sportage | 1701 | 1699 | up 0.1% |
| Toyota Corolla | 1660 | 2097 | down 20.8% |
| Nissan X-Trail | 1615 | 1219 | up 32.5% |
| Mazda CX-5 | 1607 | 1629 | down 1.4% |
Read More: Best-selling cars of March 2025
The Toyota HiLux was April’s best-selling vehicle by a slim margin, reclaiming the top position for the first time since September 2023. With 90 more deliveries than the Ford Ranger and around 300 more than the Toyota RAV4, the HiLux reached its highest monthly sales since October 2024.
Though HiLux sales dipped 12 per cent, this was less severe than the 28 per cent fall in demand for the Ranger and 35 per cent drop for the RAV4. This shift has narrowed the year-to-date sales gap at the top, with the RAV4 leading the Ranger by just 353 units.
Elsewhere, the Ford Everest and Toyota Prado SUVs were neck-and-neck, separated by only one unit, with the Isuzu D-Max ute following closely behind. The only real winner in the top 10 was the Nissan X-Trail with a 32 per cent uptake in sales over April 2024. The Toyota Corolla was also among the biggest losers of the top 10 models in April 2025 with a nearly 21 per cent drop in year-on-year sales, taking it below the 2,000 unit mark.
Plug-in hybrid sales slide after FBT incentive ends
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) sales plummeted 62.5 per cent month-on-month following their exclusion from the Fringe Benefits Tax exemption on 31 March. The total number of PHEVs delivered in April stood at 2601—still up 95.4 per cent compared to April 2024, but sharply down from 6944 in March.
The BYD Shark 6 and Sealion 6 were hit hardest. Shark 6 deliveries fell from 2810 to 1293, while the Sealion 6 dropped from 790 to just 275 units.
Electric vehicle sales continue to drop
Battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales were down 44.2 per cent compared to April last year, largely due to a significant drop in Tesla deliveries. The brand recorded just 500 deliveries—down 76 per cent year-on-year.
Tesla’s decline was driven by low availability of the outgoing Model Y, which ran out in April ahead of the updated version’s release in May. A similar 76 per cent year-on-year drop in Tesla Model 3 deliveries contributed further to the downturn.
But if you’re looking for a more affordable entry into the electric car market, the recently introduced MG S5 EV might be worth considering.
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